ETHIOPIA OUTREACH MINISTRY - STICKY REQUEST

[rjohns94]

Dear friends and forum members,

As of today, there are 7 months to the day when I travel back to Ethiopia, to the town of Sendafa, to continue my missions work there. I will be gone 2 weeks. During that time, the team hopes to participate in a variety of tasks. We typically visit the homes of AIDS patients and pass out their meds, vitamins, mend roofs of their stick, mud and tin homes, hang colorful bolts of cloth on the walls to cover up the newspaper or mud walls. We take shoes for children, crayons, pencils, soccer balls, volley balls, vitamins. We visit schools and orphanages. We set up micro businesses and give micro loans which benefit the Adopt a village team in place in town, which then lends the money to individuals for their business and pay it back to the adopt a village team, which then lends it out again. Hundreds of small businesses have started there through this program. In addition, I am working to bring water to the entire town, to clean the water they have, and in the future to drill a well to expand their water supply. We work with other organizations but all funding comes through us.

I am posting this, and asking AMBRACOL or Hobie to make this a sticky, to make possible a way for you to be a part of this work. Many already have been as they have purcahsed items on the classified section from me. All of the money generated there goes to this effort. For that I thank you deeply. This post is to allow you to know how else to help. I am collecting items for the trip and would ask you to consider helping me in this effort. I know times are tight with gas, housing and general economy but I assure you every little bit will help. I thank you in advance. For ease of tracking, all items and donations can be sent to me at : Mike Johnson, 89 Meadow Hill Drive, York, Pa. 17402. I will acknowledge all items sent and can provide a reciept from the church as required for your taxes if you let me know. In the end, totals will be posted and I will post pics of the trip upon my return. Like Jim T's mission to Mozambique, these trips bring hope and real time benefits to hundreds, if not thousands of people. In this case, the water project will bring clean fresh water to over 20,000 people in the Sendafa/Beke towns. I ask that you consider helping me in God's work there as you can.


Items I am looking for: (I will add to this from time to time)

Pencils
crayons
soccer balls
volley balls
shoes for children
small toys like beenie babies or the like (no small parts)
pumps and needles for the balls

financial help (please make checks to LWCC - Sendafa Fund NOT TO ME!!!)


We took 50 cases of supplies last year, and donated $12,000 towards the programs there. That was from the team members alone. The church added money for salaries, buildings and such. I am hoping to help in a very significant way this year and by asking for your help, I am sure we as a group can. This year, my son is traveling with me for the trip.


Thanks in advance again. You are a blessing and encouragement to me.

[deerwhacker444]

What church or denomination are you going with.?

[rjohns94]

My Church is Living Word Community Church of york Pa. www.lwccyork.org We have adopted Sendafa/Beke and have a long history there. We sponsor Ethiopian Outreach ministries which has a world wide radio audience, we print bible literature and books in the Ethiopian language. My church sends two to three mission teams to the country every year. We have on salary in the country a team of locals that make this a year round project. We send medical teams in July and tend to literally a thousand people during the visits. We have built a library and filled it with books, two churches, a bridge, and dozens of micro economy buildings. We are now trying to improve the water quality and supply for all 20000 persons in the villages. Ethiopia is one of many countries world wide we are involved in.

[C. Cash]

That's some awesome work being done there Mike. Very good to hear this.

[Ysabel Kid]

Mike - I'll have the kids work on assembling a box in the next couple-few weeks. Make a project out of it so they think it though. As I stated in the "classified section", I want them to understand the good work you are doing here, and how little many people around the world actually have - especially compared to the bountiful blessings we enjoy. Thank you for the opportunity to give to such a worthy cause!

[deerwhacker444]

Tax Deductible...?

[rjohns94]

yes, I can get a receipt for monetary contributions from the church for your taxes. Thanks. blessings.

[Ysabel Kid]

Mike -

Are you interested in very slightly used childrens' shoes? My kids are young, and growing like weeds. They often grow out of their dress shoes or those they don't wear frequently long before they actually wear them out - in fact, sometimes before they actually look worn at all. Drives me nuts - because being boy and girl, I have no opportunity to do the "hand-me-down" system (my Mother's favorite, and fortunately I was the oldest of 3 boys and a girl! ).

Anyway, I wanted to thrown in a pair of nice boys leather dress shoes, and nice boys leather sandals into the box we're assembling. I thought others might be interested in the answer - having similar situations.

Thanks!

[rjohns94]

yes, that would be great, thanks so much for your generosity and that of those who have forwarded funds and items.

[jerry b]

Would you want items of interest to folks here you can sell on the classifieds to generate funds for the mission?

[rjohns94]

Thank you for that offer. I think right now there is an auction about ready to happen during the August levergun hunt. Perhaps after that, we can list items on this sticky and people can provide the items individually and then forward any portion of the proceeds they see fit. Thanks for the idea. Blessings